Wow, I can not believe that next week we will be done! I can honestly say that this flewwww by way too fast!!! I must also admit (with my tail between my legs) that I have not done the greatest at updating my blog! Shame on ME!! However for my last post I wanted to share a few things.
1) As a background for those of you who read this (Shannon) we are required to do a certain number of assignments in this class and one of the assignments was based on search engines. We had assigned topics to search using multiple search engine. First of all, I would highly recommend continuing this assignment! Secondly I learned that although I considered it to be rather 'out dated' Ask.com is actually competes considerably with my favorite search engine (Google.com). I found that it works very well when you have a question vs a topic it will actually try to answer your question -- and surprisingly it is quite accurate! So kudos on the assignment topic and I now have an new source for information Thanks COMM 180!!
2) We also spent some time discussing Media Effects. My nerd comes out because I truly love this topic and considered it as major. Although we only briefly discussed this topic one of my first courses at Penn State was Media Effects with Mary Beth Oliver. She was amazing as instructor and we learn a little more in depth about this broad subject. However this semester I am taking COMM 405 (HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND) in this course we specifically discuss the ideology and hegemony of media from the roots of mass media until the present. This was by far one of the most eye opening course I have ever taken in my life! I now view every piece of media I consume in such a different light that I don't even know if words can begin to explain. -- We truly take for granted what we consider entertainment and news to be exactly what it is-- but digging below the face value will show you that ALL major media has not only a specific financially agenda or but also as a tool to help further promote certain central ideologies to help promote a power structure that fuels the inequality between classes we see today. It is both interesting and almost sickening to learn the truth in patterns of history within our media system. I would highly recommend that any student take both COMM 405 and COMM 118 because they are classes that will change the way you thing about something that is such a big part of your life: Media.
3) My final little not has to do with yesterday's lecture. I was DISGUSTED to hear that in certain state your camera phone can be turned on without you knowing it! Talk about BIG BROTHER! Where is the line drawn between protection against terrorism and privacy? All I could think of was the move Eagle Eye. http://youtu.be/55ps9lf6ZGs Amazing movie if you haven't seen it... the basic premise is that the government has created a super computer to help track 'threats'. This super computer has the ability to connect into almost any medium in the United States from cell phones, to street cameras, you name it -- not much different from our current situation. Any way the computer goes awry and considers all of heads of congress a threat against the Constitution and plans an attack against all of them. It's just very scary that nothing seems sacred any more!
I guess that this will be it for me! I have had fun! Thanks to all my readers (Shannon) for following my blog! And thanks Professor Jackson and Assistants for a great semester!!
.... and no more next time ... this girl is OUT!!!
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